THE LAST OF US: THE EVIL WITHIN

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 19: PLAY THE PERFECT COURTIER.

third person's pov.

...

"Why?" Cadmus asked, very confused, his voice strained while struggling to point the gun towards Lilith, something he never imagined doing...

Lilith? Killing Lilith?

Lilith remained silent while holding Dolunay hostage, using her own father's gun pointed at her head. Lilith's face looked blank, showing no emotions.

I could tell that something had change...

Cadmus stared into Lilith's eyes, but they revealed nothing, a vacant gaze that left him unable to distinguish any emotion or motive within Lilith.

By how she looked at me.

Lilith sighed, breaking the silence. She looked down briefly before meeting Cadmus's gaze with a smile. "Sorry. Did I surprise you?" she asked, the words carrying a hint of mockery.

Why hadn't I noticed?

Cadmus' concern was evident on his face when he noticed the bruises, scratches, and traces of blood on Lilith.

Is she hurt? She's hurt...

His eyes eventually widened in horror as he wandered his eyes around the room, seeing the lifeless bodies of his friends.

Syndra lay on the stairs with wide eyes, stabbed by a sharp piece of wood on the neck, Perseus was sprawled on the staircase, a victim of a fatal shot, and a quick glimpse revealed Vladimir on  near the bed, laying on his own pool of blood...

Cadmus' chest tightened. "Bakit... Bakit?" breathing heavily, gasping for air, he asked Lilith. Cadmus gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his gun, his hands trembling, before continuing to question Lilith, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"

"Maybe it's just a coincidence? Karma? Consequence? A punishment? Or maybe I just enjoy it?" she chuckled, but seemed to struggle to find the right words. With a sigh, she continued, "It's about ripping off the masks people wear, exposing the ugliness they'd rather keep hidden."

Cadmus looked confused, not really getting what Lilith meant. Her words left him confused, trying to figure out what she was trying to point out.

"When people hurt others, intentionally or not, it's like they're in this bubble, shielded from the pain they cause," Lilith explained. "Basically, I want to pop that bubble, make them really get it, so, they can truly grasp the weight of their actions."

Frustration building, Cadmus yelled, "PERO BAKIT? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO GO THIS FAR?" He couldn't comprehend why Lilith had taken this violently.

"Sometimes, people need a wake-up call." Lilith responded calmly and with a grin.

Cadmus' lips parted in disbelief. "What do you mean? WHAT DID THEY EVER DO TO YOU?"

"It's a way for them to understand the impact of what they've done and, in the process, learn to be better," Lilith explained. "I was hoping they find a path to redemption."

"YOU ALREADY KILLED THEM! HOW CAN REDEMPTION EVER BE POSSIBLE FOR THEM?"

Lilith responded coldly, "People are just SOOO stubborn. Sometimes, they need something drastic to knock sense into them." She justified her actions, emphasizing that it was necessary to break through their stubbornness. "They brought it on themselves, and now they have to face the consequences. They simply get what they deserve."

Cadmus, his emotions overwhelming him, started to tear up and pleaded, "Don't you think you're being too much?"

"Too much? I just don't hold back."